DOE Offers up to $10 Million to Improve Energy-Saving Lighting

DOE announced on September 26 the availability of up to $10 million in funding for energy-saving lighting technologies. DOE will invest in projects to accelerate manufacturing research and development related to solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies. The focus will be on applications that use semiconductors to provide light in such devices as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The goal is to strengthen the United States' position as a global manufacturing leader and help create jobs. LEDs and OLEDs could be ten times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. By 2030, SSL could reduce national lighting electricity use by one-fourth, which would save $15 billion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 21 million cars off the road.

DOE is seeking applications for research and development projects to drive down the cost of, and improve the quality of SSL products through manufacturing improvements. Between two and four projects will be selected to receive up to $10 million, and they will focus on achieving significant cost reductions through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques. Selected projects will address the technical challenges that must be overcome before SSL can compete with existing lighting on a first-cost basis. This is the third round of funding directed toward the SSL research and development program area, which has been funded with $28.2 million in federal funding and leveraged $36.8 million in funding from the private sector over the course of the program. Applications are due December 15. See the DOE Progress Alert and DOE's Funding Opportunity Exchange website.